The Diving Bell And The ButterflyThe amazing story of one man’s life through a lens

PlotAfter suffering a massive stroke, Jean-Dominique Bauby (Amalric), editor-in-chief of French magazine Elle, becomes a victim of ‘locked-in syndrome’. Completely paralysed, without the power of speech, he dictates a book by blinking one eyelid.

Review

When cinema succumbs to illness and disability, we tend to be offered either a disease-of-the-week tearjerker or a high-minded bid for Oscar glory. Rarely does a film offer proof that personal tragedies really can inspire. The Sea Inside was one; The Diving Bell And The Butterfly is another.

In December 1995, a stroke left Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) unable to move anything other than his left eyelid. With an effort of willpower that is almost impossible to imagine, Bauby collaborated with book editor Claude Mendibil (Anne Consigny) on a memoir, dictating pages blink by blink. There was no miracle cure for Bauby, who died two days after his book was published. The miracle is that such a wonderfully wry description of Bauby’s inner world could be translated to the printed page.

Equally extraordinary is how Bauby’s story has reached the screen. Director Julian Schnabel shoots much of the film as if through the left eye of the bed-ridden Bauby. We share the restrictions of his mobility and the frustration this brings. We hear, through voiceover, the words that exist in Bauby’s mind but never pass through his lips.

Occasionally Schnabel offers us external shots of Bauby in his wheelchair with his family and friends. More effective, however, are memory sequences of a fully-fit Bauby shaving his housebound father (Max von Sydow) or visiting Lourdes with an ex-girlfriend. It is a brave but not intimidating approach. Indeed, the visual style itself becomes the key element that allows us to understand and admire the way that Bauby’s mental vivacity (the ‘butterfly’) overcomes his physical limitations (the ‘diving bell’).

VerdictA poignant reflection on what it means to be alive and, visually, a true cinematic experience.

By the time the end credits have rolled it's easy to forget there were a few funny moments in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly... it is, among many other, more attributable things, one of the most depressing films of recent times, but only because director Julian Schnabel feels the full weight of the subject matter. A sharp, powerful, arresting and deeply moving film. ... More

A very poignant and unique film, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly' is told from the perspective of a man, Jean-Dominique Bauby, who is suffering from locked-in syndrome and has decided to write a memoir of his life. Based on a true story, it is difficult to find another film as effective in the way it has been shot to allow the audience to almost take the place of Jean-Dominique Bauby, as he is taught how to speak again, as he spends his final days with his family and friends, as he revisits f... More

]I travelled around 50 miles to see this film and I was not disappointed! The cinematography was stunning and the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby was very tragic come the end. Despite this I came out feeling inspired to make more of life, I think that is the message of the film. ... More

The only film of Schnabel's I'd seen prior to this was Basquiat which I found totally self-indulgent and absolutely hated, but I found this to be amazing, several leagues ahead of Basquiat in every way.
The cast were uniformly excellent, hopefully after Quantum Of Solace Mathieu Amalric will finally become a star of the stature he deserves, more than honourable mentions to Emanuelle Seigner and Max Von Sydow as well (and Marlon Brando bsp;
Janusz Kaminski's cinematography really st... More

Wow... A truly amazing film. It is in places heartbreaking, as you would expect from the subject matter, yet also manages to have moments of hilarity and joy. As has been said it is a film to inspire and make you realise how great life really is.
5/5 from me.
... More

A moving and inspiring account of one man's experience with the horror of "locked-in syndrome". Director Schnabel and screenwriter Harwood do a splendid job of externalising and visualising Bauby's inner monologue, whislt Almaric invests the character with dignity and spirit. Excellent, thought-provoking cinema. (8/10) ... More

r: Schnabel
riter: Harwood
g:u Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Max von Sydow
sd on the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (Amalric), the late editor of Elle Magazine who suffered a stroke, which lead him with an totally paralyzed body; except for his left eye.
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During the time when Jean-Dominique Bauby had locked-in syndrome, he decided to write a memoir of his entire life. With the help of an amanuensis repeatedly recited a frequency-order... More

Saw it last saturday and thought it was magnificent.
These are my thoughts:
Everything that I will write about this film will do no justice to it. You just have to this.
This is the emotionally gripping, based on true events story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor of fashion magazine Elle. When he becomes fully paralysed (except for one eye) after a stroke, he needs to learn everything all over again, including communicating. Together with the hospital crew he learns to communicate by... More

100% in agreeance with all who have written so far. amazing film, remarkably touching and vivid. have not felt as engrossed in a film in a long time. Definitely the best foreign film i have ever seen and definitely in my top 5 ever - it brings you back to earth, makes you realise how lucky you are and how important it is to appreciate every day. An experience not to forget and one that leaves you pondering for days, not minutes, after it has finished. Odd to see empire only gave it 4 stars! ... More

I bought the book on which this film is based at Fopp in Nottingham yesterday and read over half of it while waiting for my friend to arrive for a night out. The book is amazing and then I saw the film this afternoon... It's a beautiful film that is incredibly moving. Schnabel has changed the order of the book but it works so well. I really can not recommend this film highly enough - I would go as far to say that it will probably be the best film of 2008, because the quality of it is ... More

I had put off seeing this film as I had been concerned that a film about a man suffering from locked-in syndrome dictating his memoirs by blinking his eye would be mawkish, overly sentimental and frankly dull. How wrong I was! The film was one of the most inventive and intelligent films I have seen in recent years.
Ronald Harwood's script is fundamental to the success of this film. His decision to tell the story from Jean-Dominique Bauby's perspective is inspired an... More

To make a film about a man trapped in his body and not only make it work, but turn it into one of the most memorable films ever, is nothing short of genius . Opening with an extended blurry point-of-view sequence (about twenty minutes or so) was a brave move; unable to speak, we hear Bauby's (Almaric) confused thoughts as he first tries to get a grip on what's happening, and then his realisation of the private hell he'll be subjected to. To make matters worse (and where this manages to find humo... More